LBPOST.com: PHOTOS: Surfers Feast On Huge Waves In Long Beach (Seriously!)

Thursday, September 2, 2010

PHOTOS: Surfers Feast On Huge Waves In Long Beach (Seriously!)

by Ryan ZumMallen | Long Beach News | 01.20.10 |

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Actual surfers rode actual waves off the actual coast of Long Beach yesterday, the normally dormant waters churned to life by a powerful storm that slammed into shore and flooded streets throughout the city.

The video and photos below were all sent to the LBPOST.com by local non-profit We Love Long Beach.

The waves didn't last long, and they certainly didn't occur under ideal circumstances (and I bet those waves weren't exactly clean, either), but there they were, rolling and crashing into shore and easily carrying surfers along for the ride. After years of debate and public pleas to bring waves back to Long Beach, along with increased tension on the issue because it looks like we're closer now than we ever have been before, the sight of these photos was truly a harkening back to Long Beach's days as a surfer's haven. Personally, my jaw dropped.

At the same time, you have to wonder what kind of waves yesterday's storm wold have produced if there wasn't a massive wall of rocks blocking its path about a half-mile away from shore.

One thing is for sure: these photos likely ensure that the debate about removing parts of the Long Beach Breakwater isn't ending anytime soon. An interesting (and lively) discussion on that very issue continues in the Comments section of this article that was published Tuesday morning.

I'll stop talking now. Enjoy.

Above photo, enlarged:

Comments

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22 Comments so far.

L. Smith
At the same time, you have to wonder what kind of waves yesterday's storm wold have produced if there wasn't a massive wall of rocks blocking its path about a half-mile away from shore. YOU SAID IT ALL!

Juan Pardell
Its comforting to see any wave action in Long Beach. However, I don't expect there will ever be any comparison with the Mavericks up here in Northern California.

lbresident
L. Smith, read the study. Reconfiguring part of the breakwater would only allow this type of fun and the revenue that comes along with it on a regular basis. Since nobody is proposing removing the breakwater there would not be large waves.

denius
Surfline, where is our cam?

fun
Fun! I bet the e-colli (sp?) level is not healthy. People should wait 4 days after a rain. They posted signs, but I noticed a lot blew down. The waves are breaking over the breakwall. That huge north swell the breakwall was designed to protect against.

Jacqueline
Absolutely beautiful and stunning!

AHinojosa
Rumor has it, Long Beach used to have beautiful waves for surfing...pre-breakwall.

third in line productions
there is video footage too!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CifFc036g1k

lbresident
third in line productions, that video is awsome!!! seriously, imagine the revenue, increased property values, and improvement to quality of life if we reconfigure the breakwater. I just wish the peninsula residents would read the study and understand that the scare tactics are to protect the port interests. the port knows they are on the hook for the bill, and they don't want to pay.

Jon
The waves were really fun to watch and listen too! Imagine, with out the breakwater the waves would have been even larger (better), similar to EVERY other beach in SoCal, and they seem to manage just fine. The waves Seal Beach were very large, and guess what, all those beach front homes are still there. Why do some people in LB think that other beach cities can handle large waves but we can't?

lbresident
good point Jon. But it's better than that. The study doesn't even recommend removing the breakwater. It simply recommends lowering part of the western half. The part of the beach that would be most affected would be downtown. Belmont Shore would get a little boost and virtually no change on the peninsula. It's amazing that the biggest objections come from the peninsula and they would be the least affected. I wish people would read the study.

LBNative
I vote more waves (for everyone), more sand (to protect the homes).

Barbara Holbrook
Wow! What a site to see SURFERS in Long Beach. Amazing.

Chad Cress
check out some more photos from yesterdays surf session here: chadcress.com/blog

Samuel Lippke
Chad, great images on your blog. Any interesting body growth after being in that water during a storm? I'm jealous you can say you've surfed Long Beach. You are one of the few.

Robert Garcia
Great video and photos. I am convinced that reconfiguration of the Breakwater would be the best economic stimulus we could ever hope for along our coastline and Downtown. Restaurants, stores and retail would fill the streets to accomodate the tourists, surfers, and beachgoers. I am a strong supporter of moving the ball forward, and look forward to the day where I can surf in Long Beach.

LB Lady
I appreciate the idea of removing at least a portion of the breakwater. We've gotten fairly spoiled with that protection. What would the cost be to the city to prepare for these storms if there was no breakwater? How would the bluffs hold up over time? Just wondering.

Pay to surf
How about charging each surfer that uses the Long Beach ocean for surfing a fee, that could pay for the removal of the breakwater over about 1000 years.

CHARLIE
Who saud we don't get waves in Long Beach?

Paul
How great is this? When I was a kid, pre-break wall, I would skim board along the Long Beach shoreline where the beach was just like you see it here. Thanks for the memories. Maybe this will provide some awareness for what could be.

LB Native too
Blow it up and let the surf come in - fabulous!

Monique B
Great waves!......hope u had a Hep B shot!

Long Beach News

LBPOST.com Managing Editor Ryan ZumMallen keeps up on all the current and breaking Long Beach news.

Ryan ZumMallen has served as the managing editor of the LBPOST.com since 2007. He graduated from CSULB with a degree in Print Journalism in 2008 and is a member of the 2009 class of Leadership Long Beach. You can find him on various basketball courts around the city.

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